Red eyes stared at me coldly.

If it’s a sealed memory, it would mean the memory of killing the witch. It was the only memory Ilion didn’t have.

I hadn’t realized it because he had taken the fact that his mother was a dragon so calmly, but could he really think he killed his mother with his own hands?

“That’s impossible.”

“What is?”

“I’m saying there’s no way you killed your mother.”

He frowned slightly, displeased that his thoughts had been read.

“That’s quite a baseless confidence.”

“Why is it baseless? In the first place, how could a five-year-old child kill an adult? Does that make sense?”

“Weapons aren’t just for decoration.”

He never loses an argument!

I regretted not having learned the spell to shut that mouth and shouted.

“Anyway, it’s impossible!”

Ilion looked down at me and sighed softly.

“Now you’re just being stubborn because we can’t communicate.”

“I’m not being stubborn.”

“If you want to persuade me, come up with a more plausible answer.”

With that, Ilion turned and walked down the hallway, as if he no longer wished to argue.

“I’m the proof!”

I shouted at his retreating back.

“I’m still here, aren’t I? Every time I was in danger, you came to save me, and that’s why I’m alive now! A person as kind as you couldn’t possibly have killed someone you loved!”

I shouted at Ilion, overcoming my embarrassment, but he hurried his steps, pretending not to hear.

Who taught him to ignore people like this?

Frustrated by his attitude, I shouted again with a flushed face.

“Just wait and see! I’ll make you want to find your memories! Don’t regret what you said today!”

***

“When are you leaving?”

Spinel asked Royden, watching as those who regained their memories returned to their places one by one.

“Are you kicking me out already? Are you saying I’m done here?”

“For someone like you, isn’t staying a whole day a long time?”

For Royden, who couldn’t focus on one thing and quickly got bored, even a few hours was a long time.

Yet, ironically, one of his bad habits was that once he was hooked on something, he had to see it through to the end.

“Where would I go, leaving such an amusing spectacle?”

His playful purple eyes showed he had no intention of leaving yet.

If his interest in Ravenne was mere curiosity, it was fine, but if he truly took a liking to her…

Spinel, quietly observing Royden’s face, warned him in a low voice.

“I won’t care what you do, but don’t make Ravenne your plaything.”

At Spinel’s threatening warning, Royden drooped his eyebrows and muttered.

“Harsh words. Plaything? She’s my master.”

As expected, words didn’t get through to him. This is why she didn’t particularly want to meet him.

Spinel looked at the constantly smiling Royden, then turned her head away with a frown.

***

The next morning, as soon as it was light, I went to Ilion’s office and knocked on the door. I knew he was inside, but even after waiting for a while, there was no answer telling me to come in.

Does he think I won’t come in just because he doesn’t say so? The office door might as well not exist.

“Alright, I’m coming in!”

Without his permission, I pushed the door open as if I had heard his consent.

Ilion glared at me with an incredulous expression.

“If I told you that yesterday, you should understand…”

“Likewise, if I told you that, you should have understood.”

I retorted without backing down, and a deep sigh came back at me.

His pale skin and dark circles made him look a bit haggard, like he hadn’t slept well for days.

“If you’re here to argue, please leave. I don’t want to fight.”

“I’m not here to fight.”

“Then?”

“I’m here to make you fall for me today.”

“……”

Ilion looked at me like he didn’t understand what I was saying.

“Should I say it again?”

“I don’t have time to play with you. Please leave.”

Judging by his repeated request for me to leave, it seemed he did understand after all.

“If you’re that busy, I’ll help you with your work.”

I wouldn’t have come in if I planned to give up at a mere dismissal. I leaned over the desk slightly, looking at Ilion.

I wasn’t joking about making him fall for me.

If Ilion’s will was the key to regaining his memories, he needed to feel the desire to recover them.

Emotions and will are heightened when focused on something rather than through words.

So, for the sake of finding his memories, he needed to focus more on me.

Seeing me smiling in front of him as if I had no intention of backing down, Ilion finally gave up and stood up.

“If you really want to help me, fine.”

He then opened a door in the corner of the office.

He led me to a dark room without any windows, saying he’d give me work. When he turned on the lamp by the door, I saw papers scattered messily.

“Can you organize this for me?”

“…Here?”

“Yes. Organize them by year and type, tie them up, and put them on the shelf.”

A cloud of dust tickled my nose. Although I wanted to win over Ilion’s heart, I wondered if I really needed to go this far.

“If you can’t do it, you can go back…”

“No, I’ll do it!”

I quickly interrupted Ilion’s words and shouted.

“There’s not much here. I can finish this… quickly!”

The word ‘quickly’ seemed to catch in my throat, oddly making it hard to speak. The amount of documents made the work I did in the past seem like nothing.

Was he going easy on me back then? Though I cursed him as a wicked employer, he might have been more humane back then.

Ilion left the room briskly, saying he was counting on me, and I dragged my unwilling feet toward the pile of papers.

I confidently said I could do it in response to Ilion’s subtle provocation, but it seemed like too much to finish today.

I only wanted to linger around under the pretense of helping with work…

No, I can’t give up like this. I’ll organize everything perfectly and give him a reason to see me differently, not to mention knock down that high nose of his…

Buried in the pile of papers, I busily moved my hands with determination.

“…Miss.”

“Umm…”

“Miss Rischefeld.”

As I slowly opened my eyes to the voice calling me, Ilion’s clear face came into view.

“It’s late at night. You should return to your room.”

“…Night?”

I blinked drowsily, looking at him. It seemed I had dozed off while taking a break after finishing the work.

Yawning and stretching, I suddenly recalled that I hadn’t reported to Ilion that I had finished the work.

“Oh, right. I finished organizing the documents.”

Still shaking off sleep, I proudly pointed to the organized shelf.

Did I seem like I was seeking praise? Ilion reluctantly acknowledged my effort.

“Yes. You did well.”

“Does that mean you like me a bit more now?”

Ilion paused at my question, seemingly choosing his words, before offering a single comment.

“I admit you’re good at your work.”

“I’d like the praise to be a kiss. On this cheek.”

I said while pointing to one cheek and shamelessly offering it. Ilion ignored my words and stood up.

“Let’s go out. I’m going to turn off the lights.”

“Would it kill you to give me a kiss?”

I muttered to myself, loud enough for him to hear, but he pretended not to hear, as usual.

***

On the fourth day of the ‘Make Ilion Fall for Me’ operation. I wondered if this operation needed a name, but since it seemed to be a long-term plan, I gave it one.

Anyway, by the fourth day of the operation, Ilion’s attitude toward me remained unchanged.

Oh, there was one change. Ilion, having judged me to be quite a useful worker, significantly increased the workload.

I came to woo, not to work! Not understanding my feelings, or perhaps doing it on purpose, I decided to feign illness to escape from him today. Also, to receive some of his concern.

“Oh, Duke. I think I’ve been working too much lately. I feel unwell today.”

Pretending to stumble, I sat on his knee, and Ilion looked at me indifferently.

“If you’re unwell, go back to your room and rest. No one’s forcing you to stay here.”

He was politely telling me to stop doing unnecessary things and leave. But I feigned ignorance and leaned further into his arms, groaning.

“I wish you would take care of me. Cough, cough.”

“I’m not a doctor. I’ll call one for you, so go back to your room. Don’t spread your cold.”

“……”

Look at how cold he is.

I thought uselessly about how if I placed a glass of water in front of him, it might freeze in a minute, and burrowed deeper into his arms.

“Then blow on my forehead. It might get better if you do it…”

Ilion shook the bell on the desk vigorously, as if tired of my nonsense. The bell rang more irritably than ever, expressing its owner’s annoyance.

Soon, servants entered the room, and I had no choice but to be led back to my room.

The doctor who visited shortly after looked at my condition and said it seemed to be due to stress, elegantly wrapping up the fact that I was feigning illness before leaving.

Stress. Yes, I’ve been under a lot of it lately…

“Miss, are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Isn’t it a relief that it’s not a cold?”

How could it be a relief! Shouldn’t Ilion, as my fiancé, show some care by at least checking in if I’m sick? Even if it was a feigned illness, shouldn’t he be worried?

Why did Ilion like me in the first place? Annoyed by his incomprehensible psychology, I jumped out of bed.

“Lily, why did the Duke like me?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

It hurt to hear Lily’s different answer from before, but it was natural for her to react that way.

I too was still puzzled about why Ilion came to like me. I had done nothing but things he hated, so why?

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t guess anything other than the kiss we shared at the Imperial Palace.

Ilion might look decent, but he hadn’t had a lover until that age, right? So the stimulation was too intense. Yes, yes.

But…

“We’ve already had our first kiss.”

I thought of the kiss I gave Ilion in a fit of anger when he lost his memory and pulled at my hair.

That wasn’t a chance to waste!

“What should I do? Is there nothing else?”

“No, Miss. The doctor said you should remain calm for a while… I mean, it’s better to take a rest.”

Lily, who had been organizing clothes, rushed over and shook her head, saying no. She seemed worried that I might cause another incident.

Of course, I’m not denying that I cause incidents.

Suddenly, my eyes caught the pajamas she was holding.

“Lily! Can you give me those pajamas?”

“These?”

Lily, looking puzzled, handed me the clothes she was holding. It seemed strange to her that I was suddenly interested in something I usually ignored.

“Yes, those!”

I smiled at the delicate garment I thought I would never wear in my life.